Ugo Fantozzi

I'm upvoting this! Sonar needs a big big improvement in it's engine and should get real multi-core CPU support. Right now I'm working on a project with lots VST synths (u-he Diva) and some Izotope plugins. The audio engine is dropping all the time with higher ASIO buffer sizes. My meters (in Cakewalk) show a single core peeking 100% while all the 15 others are staying on about 10-20%. This clearly shows Cakewalk is not optimized for multi-core CPUs.

Recently I've seen the tutorial video from Andrew Scheps - Mixing template. He does all his mixing in the compact track view (ProTools), he never opens any other views. I completely agree with his approach. I want the GUI to be as simple as it can be, really there is no need to simulate old hardware consoles or other equipment. Cakewalk's GUI is very customizable and I like this a lot, just the vertical FX bin is breaking the game, since you must "open" the compacted track before accessing the plugins.

Hello, My suggestion is to add the channel FX bin in horizontal single line style, something similar to ProTools. Why? So you could minimize all tracks to a single line and still be able to directly access each plugin or turn them ON/OFF. With many many tracks this would be a very welcome GUI feature, to have a constant overview of them all. Attached is a photoshopped picture I've made.

Hi. I use Slate's ANA2, so I don't think it's funky ?. The endless notes happen mostly with patches with arpeggios or very long decays. Anyway, I have a Behringer XR18 digital mixer connected to Cakewalk, so I can control its settings via MIDI from the DAW. As soon as I hit the Panic button, the mixer channels get screwed. They are controlled over MIDI by CC commands, and Cakewalk sends 0 or 127 to all these CCs when you hit that Panic button. It would be ideal, if Cakewalk would have a setting or a "whitelist" with devices, that are not affected with Panic button.

Hello. MIDI panic button sends the "Note Off" CC command and optionally a "Single note off" to every MIDI device connected to Cakewalk, no matter if it is a VST Synth or a hardware Synth connected over USB. While this may be fine for VST Synths, it messes up volumes on my Behringer XR18 mixer. Is there a way to limit the Panic button to internal MIDI devices only? Or at least to make it send Note Off only without the CC commands? I also read on other forums, that people have the same problems with some VSTs, that integrate multiple synths, so they have a internal mixer (ex. Kontakt).

I found Oh, what do you know, we learn a new thing each day! Well, I found out a way to do it: - Install a virtual MIDI cable driver, I've installed the free "loopMIDI". Inside it create one virtual loopback MIDI port. - In Cakewalk's MIDI devices set the loopMIDI for IN and OUT (this way everything you send out will return back to Cakewalk) - Create a MIDI channel that is ment for automation only. Set the MIDI out to "loopback MIDI port" on channel 16 - Insert an instrument track with a VST instrument. Set the MIDI in to your MIDI master keyboard. - Right click on the track's "Input Echo" button and click on "Remote Control" - Set the Remote control to "Controller", value 1 on MIDI channel 16. This way it would receive messages from loopback MIDI port only. - Now go back to your first MIDI track and create an automation lane for MIDI->Control->Value: 1->Channel: 16 - Draw the envelope over the songs where you want your instrument to be enabled. - Do this for every VST instrument/track, just set the Remote control on different control values for each of them. - You could also send individual commands in Event View. This is useful if you want to turn off every VST track, for example on the beginning of each song. Just to be sure that a wrong sound is not turned on by mistake. The cool thing is, that you can drag-drop you section (song) left and right and the envelopes move with it. You can rearrange the playlist as you need, or use the Arranger sidebar.

Unfortunately this is not true, you can't automate Mute. Only Volume, Pan and Sends. The thing is, that I would like to automate the whole song "setup" inside a single arranger's section. This way I could jump between sections and Cakewalk would enable a certain VST on which I could play the keyboard while listening to the backing track of that section. Of course all the other song's VSTs must be disabled first. Using the volume automation is not recomended, since you would be playing all instruments at once, they would just not sound, be quiet.. That would be a CPU killer.

Is there a way to Mute/Unmute or Arm/Unarm a specific channel within the Event List? So at the beginning of a section you could Unarm all tracks that are not needed and Arm a specific track that you gonna play.

Interesting approach, but it is missing the crucial part: how to automate instrument changes. We would need backing tracks so it automatically changes VST instruments, maybe also our external gear via MIDI.

Could you please explain a little further how it's done? Thanks!

Hello, I'm trying to use Cakewalk in a live situation on stage with my keyboard. I have many VST synths loaded each in a separate audio track. I have one MIDI track that receives the input from my hardware keyboard and sends it to a specific track via "Output". Is there a way I could automate this output? This way I could make Cakewalk switch my synths automatically before and during a song. Also, is there a way to automate FX Racks ON/OFF in a specific channel? This way you could disable a VST plugin and save CPU power.

msmcleod, thank you so much! "commit the arrangement" is the thing I was missing and putting the "stop" command at the end of a section is crucial!

Hello. If you want to use Cakewalk for live use on stage, I find the arranger track with its sections to be a very good way to organise a setlist. Each section is one song. You can arrange the order of them (create the setlist) in the arranger below. Now, when you play the sections individually (in the left sidebar, clicking the play triangle left of its name) it plays and stops at the end. To play the next section/song, you have to mouse-click the next play button. This works well, but it's not ideal in a live situation, because you need a person to use a mouse. Now, can this process »play the next section« be somehow implemented in a keyboard shortcut or even better to a midi foot controller? Even better, to have a shortcut for »up« and »down« between sections prior of playing them, so you can select another song quickly without touching the computer. In short: controlling the playlist/arranger with »up« »down« and »play« buttons/MIDI controls.

Hello. I would like to request an enhancement to the STOP button behaviour in the transport. This is the current behaviour: - Turn on "On Stop, Rewind to Now Marker" in options - Put the "Now" point anywhere in the song - Press Start: the song starts to play, the vertical line moves on with the song while the Now point stays in the same place - If you press Stop while playing: the song would stop playing and the line would rewind to Now marker - If you press Play while playing: the song would pause and the line would stay in the paused moment - Now, in this case (paused song) the Stop button is greyed-out and there is no way to rewind to the Now marker. You first have to press Play and after that you can press Stop to rewind. My suggestion: While the song is paused, the Stop button would NOT be greyed-out. If you would press it once it would rewind to Now marker, if you press it the second time it would rewind to the very beginning of the song. This is how the transport works in Studio One and I think is much more intuitive.